Barcelona club president Joan Laporta has sensationally claimed he did not want to sell Frenkie de Jong ahead of the 2022/23 season.
De Jong was heavily linked with a move away from Catalonia, with Manchester United rumoured to be tracking him, as part of an Ajax-inspired reunion with Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Barcelona were in the market to sell a host of players, in a drastic attempt to balance their poor financial situation, with deals agreed and contracts reduced.
However, despite the speculation, de Jong consistently maintained his position of wanting to stay at Barcelona, and fight for his place at the Camp Nou.
Laporta admitted the Dutch star would need to take a pay cut, to remain at the club, but no compromise has been reached, and de Jong is still owed a substantial sum in unpaid wages.
“I never wanted to sell Frenkie de Jong. He is one of our mainstays, a great talent, and is already one of the team leaders,” as per reports from Mundo Deportivo.
De Jong has already returned to training for Barcelona following his post World Cup break and he is unlikely to leave in January.
